Dressmaker&#39;s foundation and guide



Jan. 19,1954 5, L, HWE 2,666,558

DRESSMAKER'S FOUNDATION AND GUIDE Filed July 2, 1949 5220 lg (94 AZ 24. I /Z 4 Arron/5x5 Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f 2,666,558 DRESSMAKERS FOUNDATION AND GUIDE Blanche Lavinia Howe, South Bend, Ind. v Application July 2, 1949, Serial N0. 102,763

This invention relates to improvements in'f'a :dressmakers foundation and guide.

In the making of dresses-,- coats and othe garments, and especially in home dressmaking, consider-able difficulty is experienced in making garments accurately by reason of the lack of a form which accurately corresponds or conforms with the contour or shape of the body of the person for whom the garment is being made. Dress forms or busts have been used for manyyears, built in standard sizes conforming generally to dress sizes, and the 'more elaborate of these forms have been provided with adjustments to permit'a certain latitude of variation of size thereof. However, such'adjustments are limited in num ber and it is not possible to compensate forabnormalities ordepartures from normal body contours as occur in many individuals due to posture peculiarities, growth peculiarities, or peculiarities resulting from injury or from surgery. Consequently; such standard forms are of little assistance to many individuals whose bodies depart from the normal for their'size, due to one of the foregoing causes or to other'ca'uses.

A second type of dressmaking form hasbeen developed which is molded'to exact conformity with the shape of the body of the individual. Such forms'can be used only by the individual for whom they are made, are 'quite expensive, and'have a limited span of usefulness due to the occurrence of body changes with passage of'tim'e.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a preformed device which may be donned by the user and accuratelyfitted to the body and then removed and applied over a conventional or 5 Claims. (01. 223-68) standard type of dressmakers form with padding applfed between the same and the form as needed to secure in the assembled form a guide and three-dimensionalreplica corresponding with accuracy to the contours of the 'users body and upon which the garment being made can be fitted with accuracy. I

- A further objectis to provide a device of this character in which guides for allvertical and horizontal measurements to be taken in making a garment are provided accurately at .the positions at which such measurements are to be taken.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which can be adapted to any figure or torso within a'given size range quickly and easily and which can be altered rapidly to compensate for changes in body contours'occurring with time or to compensate for the differences in the figures of .idiiferent individuals of approximately the same size." 6 V A further object is to provide a device of this character with arm-simulating portions adapted for detachable connection therewith.

In the drawing: 1

Fig. 1 is a view of the form in front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a view of the form in rear elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, illustrating one of the horizontal measuring means applied.

Fig." 4 is a fragmentary top view, illustrating the manner in which the sleeve is mounted and also illustrating the manner in which padding may be applied between the guide and the'standard form to which it is applied. v i

Referring to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, thenufmeral Ill designates a sheath or guide which is composed of a plurality of vertically elongated panels and is of proper shape to conformto the g body of a user when fitted thereto. Each of the panels is preferably formed of cloth of stout or sturdy character, such as heavy muslin b roadcloth, canvas or the like. The panels comprise two similar center front panels I2, two similar side front panels I4, two similar underarmsilde panels l6, two similar side back panels l8, and

two similar center back panels 20. The panels I2, l4, I8, 20 are sewn together at their top edges to fit over the shoulders, and the panels l6 are of a width slightly less than sleeve width and extend belowithe armholes," The panels '14 and It are preferably shorter than the remain:-

ing panels and terminate slightly below hip level.

The remaining panels i2, extend to'lfloor length.

Each of the panels is preferably shaped to correspond generallyto the shape of the portion of the body over which it fits. Thus the panels l6 and 20 preferably 12 and 2B taper inwardly from top and bottom toward the waist]. portion. Similarly, the re;- maining panels are shaped asrequired by their locabion- Each of the panels is'of a width greater than required to cover thefiportion of the body over which it fitsj'sothat', at any given. crossrsection I ,of the unit :0, thetotalwidth of the constituent panels will be much greater than the girth of the body. Thepanels are secured togetherby sewing or basting along their longitudinal mar-'- gins to provide astraight center front seam 22, a straight center rear seam 24, front seams 26 extending downwardly from approximately the centers of the shoulders, and rear seams '28 similarly extending downwardly from the'centers of the shoulders. The-seams 30 at-the opposite edges of the underarmpanels 18 preferably extend downwardly from the front and back of the sleeve or underarm portion. lhe seams 2230 are formed inwardly spaced from the side edges of the constituent panels and the marginal portions 32 of the panels are folded inwardly, as best seen in Fig. 3. One of the two center seams 22, 24 is normally left open and is adapted to be secured by the use of pins, as illustrated at 3.34 in Fig.2. The seams "2230 preferably extend from the top or shoulderfor'thefull length of the short panels, that is, for the full length of the panels I4 and 18. This is true of the center seams 22 and .24 connecting the center front panels I2 and the center back panels 20, as well as ofthe other seams-atwhic'ha long panel is stitched to a short panel. The center panels I2 and 20 will preferably be contoured at their upper edges at 36 to provide :a neck opening of a size fitting closely around the neck nf'ithc user, zandthepanels l4, -|B:and t8 will be shaped at their upper ,portions to define armholes.

A plurality of tapes are stitched .to the guide .or sheath :at selected vertical positions. Thus .e 13843940 is stitched to one -.of the -..center front manels It: .at 42 adjacent the vneck .edge 36 and .is adapted to be positioned as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 .to-extend around the base bf the neck .as .a guide .for .collar measurement. A longer tape-.44 =isstitched to one of the front ,panels at 46 adjacent the front center .seanr-ZZ .atapproximately underarm or bust level and is of a length to pass completely around the bust as a guide for bust measurement, as shown in dotted ,lines inEig. l. .A tape '48 isstitched at its center at .50 to one of the front panels .12 zadjecent thcseam 2 2 and is of a length to extend around and form a iguide for measurement .of the waist, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. A tape-Z is stitched ,orsecured at .54 to one of the .front panels .[2 adjacent the seam :22 and .is positioned :at hip level and is of .a length to extendaround the hips-as a-guide for hip measure- .ment-asshown in -Fig. .3. A tape 5!; is stitched at .58 .to one of .the rear ,panels .at shoulder blade height and isofalength to extendzacross the back of a ,garment .between the upper portionsof the sleeves-of a garment as a measure- .ment guide. .as shown .in dotted lines in ,Fig. 2. :Each .of the underarmsidepanels I6.,has a tape 60 stitched or secured thereto at a location just below the armhole, which tapes are .ofa length .to .pass .around the upper part .of the arm or over the shoulder as a guide .for measurement .of thesleeve-toberormed. .It will .be understood r Lthatcords or straps .or other suitable .members may be .used in place of'tapes, if desired, and that each will be secured to the sheath at .a limited portion thereof intermediate tor spaced .from its ends.

Inthe use of the device, assuming that .-..all .of the parts have been assembled as described but that one .of the seams .122. .24, here shown as the rear seam .24, is open, .the' person to be fitted dons the guide reversed irom. normal position, that is, with the free marginal portions .32 .of the panels positioned outermost. The open seam is then temporarily closed,.as by the use .of pins 3'4, and suitable markings are applied .along the margins of the temporarilyfjoined panels, vfor example, the rear central panels 20, to indicate the location .at which the finishing seam :is .to be formed. Thereupon, such additional (changes as may be required at the .otherseam between the .various panels .arermade pr -marked- :seams as marked are made.

Thus, if one shoulder is low, the shoulder seam at that side will be pinned to conform to the contour of the shoulder, or will be marked to indicate the point at which alteration is to be made. The same fitting or marking along the vertical seams to secure correspondence of the shape of the sheath with body contours throughout, can likewise be done. This may require opening of the seams at:some"points inorder to enlarge the'sheath at those points. ln'this way it is possible to fit the sheath very accurately to the figure or body of the wearer.

.rAfterrremoval of the sheath with the markings remaining thereon, the necessary changes in The sheath is then applied over a .standard dressmaking form 62, shown fragmentarily in Fig. 4, which form may beqof rany desired size or character. The form 62 used will preferably be of a size slightly smaller than the .dress size .indicatedior .the user.

so that the device or sheath in will .fit thereon rather loosely. Thereupon ,padding 64, such as cloth, tissue paper or cotton wadding, may be inserted .between the .form .62 and the sheath 7L0, asillustrated in Fig. .4, to fill out the spaces at which the sheath i0 fits loosely upon the form 62. In this way the assembled .form .62 and sheath in will conform exactly to the :body contour .of the person on whom thesheath 10 was fitted,.and an exact replica-of body.contour will he provided .upon which garments to .be made may be fitted and draped, with assurance that the fit and .drape will .be the same when worn by the vperson .as when draped .upon the fitting device 10, .62.

The measurements-of the yariousparts of the garment to be made canall be taken from the assembled device ill, 2. Thus all vertioaLmeasurementsrcanbe taken with-accuracy along the seams -22.3'i!, and .all horizontal or transverse measurement can .be obtained at the properlocation by the .use .of the .strapsor tapes 44, 48, '52 and 56 as guides. .Theproper neck measurement can he secured from the-tape-Ml asa guide, .and the propersleeve seam measurement can be secured fromthetapestil as guides. The .measturements so secured can be transferred to the cloth .and the various pieces thereof which are to he cutjifroma pattern, andahigh degree of accuracy can lthuslbe secured .both in cutting and in sewing of thegarment. The-concluding Work of finishing the garment can beperformed in the .usualmanner with .fittings easily made pon the fitting device ll}, .62 .from time to time as the work ,progressesand a checkof the proper fit and drapeis desired.

he device maybeused for the making ofcoats and Jackets and sleeved garments, ,as well as sleeveless garmentscrgarments. having onlyshort sleeves, by the useofarm members 10. These arm members preferably comprise elongated padded members 12, made of stout and sturdy :clo'th similar to the material used for the body portion, and of substantially normal ,arm size a and length and tapered at their up er ends to abutagainstand dependnaturally from the form 62. The pad members 12 are encased in a sleeve sheath having an-outer panel 1-4 and an inner panel '16 adapted to be joined together along a front seam 11.8 and a rear-seam lid-one of which seamsis sewed .and the other of which is normally open. 1At.its upper end .theouterpanel M, preferably mounts two-snap fastener parts 82 positioned .Iorwardly .and .rearwardly of :the longitudinal center of said panel, the panel preferably having a downturned margin at which parts 82 are secured. The snap fastener parts are adapted to cooperate with and be detachably connected to complementary snap fastener parts 34 secured to the upper ends of the panels l4 and I6, respectively, as at downturned marginal portions of said panels. The snap fasteners 32, 34 are so arranged and positioned that, when comiected, they will hold the sleeve sheath 14, 16 and the encased padded arm-simulating portion 72 in a natural free hanging position. Each sleeve sheath, of which one only is shown in the drawing, will have a plurality of measuring tapes, cords or straps secured thereto at diiierent heights, such as the tapes 36, 38 and 33, each secured at an intermediate portion thereof at 92 to a sleeve panel, such as the panel 74. These tapes will preferably be positioned so as to provide guides for the measurement of the sleeve of the garment at armpit level, at elbow level and at Wrist level, respectively.

The sleeve units l4, 16 may be donned and fitted to the arms of the user, marked for the location of the seam to be formed to complete the same, and then removed and the seam stitched. The sleeve sheaths It, 16, when encircling the arm forms 12, and padded to fill out the sheaths, retain said arm forms. The snap fasteners 82, 84 or other detachable fasteners, such as hooks and eyes or mere straight pins, constitute the sole connection between the form 62 and the forms 12. The detachability afforded by fasteners 82, 84 permits the body portion of the garment to be made while the sleeve forms are removed, and also permits the garment sleeves to be made individually over the sleeve forms. Thus the sleeve forms may be connected to the body form only at such time as the fitting and sewing of the sleeve portions of the garment to the body portion is to be performed.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A dressmakers guide comprising a plurality of narrow vertical elongated flexible cloth panels secured together along longitudinal marginal lines to provide a sheath adapted to fit around and conform accurately to the contour of the human body and having a neck opening and armholes, two of said marginal securing lines occurring respectively at the front and rear centers of said sheath, the upper ends of certain of said panels being secured together at the shoulder portion of the sheath and between each armhole and the neck opening, said panels each extending continuously from said shoulder portion to a level below the hips of a wearer, said sheath being open between two adjacent panels to facilitate donning and removal of the unit, means for releasably securing together the marginal portions of said last named adjacent panels, the panels and the longitudinal securing lines between panels at opposite sides of front and rear center lines being substantially symmetrical, said longitudinal securing lines being located to guide vertical body measurements with two longitudinal securing lines at the front extending from mid-points of the opposite shoulders and downwardly across the bust.

2. A dressmakers guide as defined in claim 1, wherein some panels are longer than other 3. A dressmakers guide as defined in claim 1, and spaced flexible tapes each secured to said sheath at a part only of the tape and at a selected vertical position at which a horizontal measurement is to be taken.

4. A dressmakers guide comprising a dress makers form, a cloth sheath having free vertical margins and adapted to be fitted accurately to the body of an individual and fitting detachably upon said form and having front and rear vertical center seams extending the full length of the sheath, means for releasably securing said free margins to close said sheath, elongated full length vertical measurement guides on said sheath spaced from said center seams and including guides extending from midpoint of the opposite shoulders downwardly across the bust, padding interposed between said sheath and form to fill out said sheath at parts fitting loosely on said form and a plurality of spaced flexible elongated tapes secured to said sheath at the exterior of the sheath for a portion only of their length, said tapes serving as guides for measurements and being of a length to encircle the sheath and form.

5. A dressmakers guide as defined in claim 4, wherein said form simulates a torso, an armsimulating form, a cloth arm sheath having free longitudinal margins, means detachably securing said arm sheath margins whereby said arm sheath is adapted to be fitted accurately to the arm of an individual and is adapted to fit detachably on said arm-simulating form, and means for detachably securing said arm form sheath to said first sheath. I

BLANCHE LAVINIA HOWE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 974,936 Van Dusen Nov. 8, 1910 1,221,490 Uiford Apr. 3, 1917 1,447,372 Bailey Mar. 6, 1923 1,773,955 Couture Aug. 26, 1930 1,903,403 Jacobs Apr. 4, 1933 2,158,895 Brown May 16, 1939 2,470,031 Harris May 10, 1949 

